


oh memories, where'd you go? (you were all i'd ever known)

by impravidus



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Amnesia, Angst, BAMF Peter Parker, Body Horror, Body Modification, Fluff and Angst, Human Experimentation, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Memory Loss, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Precious Peter Parker, Presumed Dead, Protective Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Temporary Amnesia, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:21:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23633758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/impravidus/pseuds/impravidus
Summary: “Eight months. I’ve been gone for eight months?” Peter asked.“Yeah. Do you… you don’t remember?”“No,” he said softly. “No, I don’t.” He tugged at his sweatshirt sleeves. “You must’ve gone through one heck of a growth spurt while I was gone, then. Maybe I’ll get one soon.”Ned stared at Peter perplexed. “What?”“Darn. I can’t believe I missed my thirteenth birthday. I had my Bar Mitzvah planned and everything.”Peter’s words were starting to dawn on Ned. “What do you think of The Vulture? Toomes?“I mean vultures are pretty gross, I guess. And you always kick my butt on that tomb level on Apocalypse of the Damned.”“Tony Stark?”Peter snorted. “C’mon, Ned. You know how much I love Tony Stark. He’s legendary.”Ned bit his lip. “Let’s get you home. Okay?”“Yeah. I’m sure Ben and May are worried sick.”“Yeah. I’m sure they are.”
Relationships: Happy Hogan/May Parker (Spider-Man), Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 29
Kudos: 371
Collections: IronDad Four Tags Challenge





	oh memories, where'd you go? (you were all i'd ever known)

He was awoken by a loud rumble.

His body was stiff, joints squeaking and cracking as he stretched his sore muscles. He looked around in confusion.  _ Where am I? _

It’s a concrete tunnel with dim lights barely lining the darkness.

But then there was a big bright light.

And it was coming towards him.

He didn’t know how he did it, but he ran out of the way, just in time to narrowly miss a subway train heading straight at him at approximately 50 miles per hour.

His heart pounded against his chest, head spinning. He staggered cautiously on the edge of the tracks until he finally heard some semblance of life. 

It was loud. It was loud and bright. Very bright. He had to squint as he plugged his ears with his fingers, trying to acclimate to the overstimulation.

He anxiously stumbled through the bustling crowd of the subway station.  _ Where am I? _

After wandering past the hoard of busy people in a busy rush, he had finally found a map. 

He stared at the map, the rusty gears in his mind turning. He’s been to the subway millions of times, but never by himself. He never needed to navigate on his own. He was silently cursing himself for not paying more attention when Ben was telling him the directions.

He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard an almost familiar voice call out a flabbergasted, “Peter?”

He turned around, a frown and furrowed brow on his face as he took in the sight.

“Ned?” he replied, equally perplexed.

“Peter. What the— how are you— what is— where the hell have you been?”

“I don’t really know. I just woke up on the tracks and, oh man it was crazy, I almost got hit by a train, and I’m just so lost and I uh, I’m…” he stopped. “Why do you look like that?”

“What do you mean?” Ned asked, confused.

“You’re so… old.” He looked Ned up and down who wore a patterned button up with colored jeans and white converse. “And what are you wearing?” He winced as another subcar stopped, loud crowds exiting its doors. “I think I have a concussion or something. It’s like crazy bright and loud in here.”

“Peter, I don’t understand. You’ve been missing for eight months. We all thought you were dead. How are you…”

“What are you talking about?” Peter interrupted.

“You went completely MIA in April and we… we all went insane trying to find you but it’s like you disappeared from the face of the Earth.”

“Eight months. I’ve been gone for eight months?” Peter asked.

“Yeah. Do you… you don’t remember?” 

“No,” he said softly. “No, I don’t.” He tugged at his sweatshirt sleeves. “You must’ve gone through one heck of a growth spurt while I was gone, then. Maybe I’ll get one soon.”

Ned stared at Peter perplexed. “What?”

“Darn. I can’t believe I missed my thirteenth birthday. I had my Bar Mitzvah planned and everything.”

“Peter,” Ned said wearily. “We have to get you to the Compound.”

“The Compound?” Peter responded, not understanding.

“You know, the…” Peter’s words were starting to dawn on Ned. “What do you think of The Vulture? Toomes?

“I mean vultures are pretty gross, I guess. And you always kick my butt on that tomb level on  _ Apocalypse of the Damned _ .”

“What about Mysterio?”

Peter’s face morphed with even more confusion. “Uh, that was the easiest word on my last Spanish vocab.”

“Tony Stark?” 

Peter snorted. “C’mon, Ned. You know how much I love Tony Stark. He’s legendary.”

Ned bit his lip. “Let’s get you home. Okay?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I’m sure Ben and May are worried sick.”

Ned tensed. “Yeah. I’m sure they are.”

It was an eerily silent walk. Ned was distracted, fidgeting with his keychain. Peter had taken close notice and found the courage to ask, “What’s wrong?”

“What? I… nothing! I mean, I just, it’s just crazy to see you back. It’s been a while.”

Peter wasn’t satisfied with that answer, but merely nodded and continued to walk. He scrunched his eyebrows as they passed his apartment building. “Where are you going? This is my stop.”

Ned froze. “I… uh…” He sighed. “You actually don’t live here anymore.”

“They moved?” Peter asked incredulously.

“Something like that,” Ned said uncomfortably.

“I guess uh,” he held out his hand. “Lead the way.”

Peter swung his arms back and forth as he walked, taking in the sights of what would usually be a familiar stroll through Queens that was a bit of a culture shock instead. He didn’t recognize most of the shops and restaurants he was passing. There was a different air to Queens. It was murkier, thicker. Almost a miasma of smog filling the air.

_ Smoke. Fire. Burnt. Charred. _

“We’re here,” Ned stated.

Peter shook his head, unsure of what that feeling was, following the older boy with uncertainty.

Though he didn’t say it, he was surprised how easily he was trekking up the flights of stairs. It was a feat, not needing to pull out his inhaler after the second set. Even Ned was struggling after the fifth, but he wasn’t.

They approached a chipping navy door, but Ned stopped in his tracks, staring at the numbers with hesitance.

“Are we gonna go in?” Peter asked.

“Peter, I… you gotta understand…” Before he could finish, the handle of the door jiggled.

“...but I think brussel sprouts could be… oh, Ned. What are you doing here? We were just heading to the stor…” May’s eyes finally caught Peter, and her breath hitched. “Peter, you… you’re…”

“Hi, May,” he said quietly.

She shakily approached him, cupping his face with her palms. “My baby boy. You’re back. Oh, thank God. You’re back!” Tears were now freely flowing down her cheeks. “Happy! He’s back!”

A strange large man came over, equally emotional, engulfing Peter in a tight hug.

He tensed, pushing away. “May, where’s Ben?”

The two’s faces dropped.

“What?” May asked.

Ned placed his hand on her shoulder. “He thinks he’s thirteen. He doesn’t remember,” he made a motion that Peter can’t decipher.

“Oh. I… uh…” she gulped. “How about you come inside, sweetie? We have a lot to talk about.” She looked to Ned. “You can come in if you want.”

He shook his head. “I should’ve been home a half an hour ago. I should probably head out.”

“Right. Well you, uh, you’re welcome whenever you’d like.”

He nodded. “Thanks, May.” And with that, he headed the other way, his soft sob not being unnoticed by Peter.

“Come in,” May said, ushering Peter into the unfamiliar apartment.

He felt a sense of unease. He recognized some of the furniture, but everything felt so different. Had she really moved on so much in eight months?

“Come sit down.” She patted the grey couch cushion beside her.

“Where’s Ben?” Peter asked again.

She bit her lip. “Peter… what is the last thing you remember?” 

“I had a vocab quiz in Spanish, we learned about functions in math, we started reading  _ The Glass Castle _ in English, I had band practice after school, and then I came home and you and me and Ben had tacos.”

She nodded tentatively. “And what day was it?”

He looked between her and the mystery man who looked at him pensively, directing his gaze elsewhere when Peter looked back. “November 3.”

“What year?” she continued.

“2014,” Peter replied, unsure of where this was going.

May and the mystery man gasped. He placed his large hand over hers and squeezed it gently.

“May, who is this?” Peter asked.

“It’s complicated,” she responded.

“Did you and Ben get divorced while I was gone? It wasn’t my fault was it?”

“Oh, honey. It’s not your fault at all.”

“So you  _ did  _ get divorced!” Peter exclaimed.

“No. We didn’t. Peter,” she took another unsteady breath. “It’s December 20.” She took a pause. “2025.”

His jaw dropped. “What?”

“I think you have some sort of amnesia…”

“Woah woah, wait. You’re telling me that I’m 24?”

“It’s complicated,” she said again.

“How is it complicated?” he asked impatiently. “Want to know what is complicated? One second I’m going to bed after studying for a science test and getting some late night chips and then I wake up and I’m, what? Twelve years in the future? Asleep on train tracks after having been missing for eight months?” His chest felt heavy, his breathing constrained. “Where’s my inhaler? I’m having an asthma attack.”

“That’s not asthma. That’s a panic attack,” the mystery man cuts in. “You have to focus on your breathing, alright?”

He couldn’t. This was insane. This was absolutely insane. 

“Peter. C’mon, kid. You gotta breathe,” he instructed.

“Don’t call me that,” Peter snapped.

“I’m sorry. But just listen to my voice, okay? In… hold… out. In… hold… out.”

The anvil on his chest was lifting, his head still throbbing from the tension. “I think I have a concussion.”

“What do you mean?” May asked.

“Everything’s super bright and loud. Wherever I was, I must’ve hit my head,” Peter said.

Some sort of recognition sparks in the two adult’s brains and they share a look that Peter couldn’t decipher.

“It must be a, uh, a migraine. Let me get your earplugs and your… migraine glasses.” She got up and went to his room, leaving him alone with the mystery man.

“So…” Peter said, trying to break the silence. “What’s your name?”

“You call me Happy, but my name’s Harold.” 

“Huh. Okay.” Peter analyzed his face, a lightbulb lighting in his mind. “I think I recognize you.”

Myst… Happy’s back straightened, now alert. “You do?” His excitement faltered. “Oh, you’re a fan of Tony Stark, right?”

Peter’s face morphed in confusion. “Yeah, I love him. How did you… right. Eleven years in the future. I’ve probably told you.”

Happy fiddled with his cufflinks. “I was Tony’s bodyguard for a while. You may have seen me with him.”'

Peter’s eyes widened. “Woah. That’s so crazy!” Before he could continue to geek out, May came back out, placing two devices in his ears and sliding a pair of tinted glasses over his eyes. He finally  felt his body relax, slumping back into the couch. “Thank you.” He ran his fingers over the devices. “Do I get migraines a lot?”

May nodded. “You used to get them a lot more when you were younger, but sometimes it comes back when you’re overwhelmed or stressed or somewhere really bright or loud.”

“Huh. Okay.” He felt uncomfortable, their eyes staring at him as they contemplated what to say. “What?”

“A lot has happened, Peter. We’re just trying to figure out the best way to explain it to you.”

“Can I take a shower, then? While you try to figure out how to tell me everything?”

She softened. “Of course you can take a shower. Your room is the one on the right.”

He gave her an awkward thumbs up before getting up. “Can I…”

“You can wear your earbuds in the shower.”

“Right.” As he entered the unfamiliar room, he tried to soak everything that differed from his previous room. It wasn’t bare by any means. It was filled with things he loved, polaroids of him and his, he presumed, friends. It had posters and Lego sets and trinkets and bobbles. But, he could almost feel the dust that had accumulated on all of these things. It felt like the memories of someone who was gone, not someone he was supposed to become.

He pulled off his dirty, tattered sweatshirt but froze as he caught sight of… “I have abs?” he asked aloud. He ran his fingers over his torso. “What?”

He approached the full body mirror hanging on his door, staring with mouth agape in shock. “How do I look like  _ this? _ ”

He could understand gaining some muscle mass as he grew up. He was twenty three after all. But how did he maintain a fitness regime wherever he was for eight months? And where was he those eight months?

So many questions swirled in his mind. He rummaged through the drawers of the desk at the corner of the room until he finally found a notebook and pen.

_ QUESTIONS _

_ Where is Ben? _

_ Why did May and Ben get divorced? _

_ Why is May living with Tony Stark’s bodyguard? _

_ How did May and Happy meet? _

_ How did I get so ripped? _

_ Where was I these last eight months? _

**_Why can’t I remember anything?_ **

Feeling satisfied with his list, he grabbed a change of clothes and headed to the bathroom down the hall.

As he passed by May and Happy, they stopped their conversation and stared at him, waiting for him to pass.

Peter shrugged off the uneasy feeling in his stomach, and went to take his shower.

The warm water felt foreign on his skin, almost scorching. It stung as it rained on open wounds he hadn’t realized littered his bare back, and he gritted his teeth, bearing the pain as best he could.

_ Needles. Needles in my arm. Needles in my back. _

He shook his head and grabbed the shampoo. The kind in this bathroom wasn’t the kind he usually used, but the scent sent a shiver down his back. It triggered a sense of familiarity. ‘ _ This must be the kind of shampoo I use. Or, used.’ _

He scrubbed away the grime and blood (which made him very squeamish) that caked his skin. It took him a good ten minutes until he truly felt clean.

The towels in this bathroom were dark brown and softer than the ones that he remembered. ‘ _ Ben hates brown. These must be Happy’s.’ _

He slipped on a pair of soft Hello Kitty pajama pants, a t-shirt that said “Never trust an atom. They make up everything,” and a pair of cabin socks. As he slid the pajama pants, he felt a flash of… of… of something.

_ Freezing water. Shame. Cold, salty breeze. Embarrassment. Metal clanking on the ground. Anger. Raw throat. Disappointment. Salty tears. _

With a pounding headache, he left the bathroom, greeted by the cautious stares of May and Happy once more.

“I have some questions,” Peter said.

“I think we’re ready to answer,” May responded, looking to Happy with worry.

“I wrote them down. Let me go get my list.”

As he passed by the couch, he caught a hushed whisper of “not yet.” 

He plopped himself back into the soft cushions with his notebook. “Okay. Where’s Ben?”

May wrung out her knuckles anxiously. “I knew that would be your first question.” She laughed in an uncomfortable way. She was nervous. “When you were thirteen, you and Ben were out having a guy’s night. You were seeing the new _Star Wars_ movie again and then you went for ice cream. Well you uh, you uhm…”  
Happy grabbed her hand and whispered, “It’s okay. You’ve got this.”

“Ben was shot by a mugger.”

Peter couldn’t hear anything anymore. Pressure rose through his body, filling his head until it felt like it was going to burst. His ears were ringing and his eyes were blurring as he finally found the strength to splutter out, “W-what?”

“I’m so sorry, honey.”

“Ben’s dead?” Peter asked, the words feeling like venom on his tongue.

“He is. I’m so sorry.”

“So that’s why you’re… because he’s been dead for a while. Right? So you moved on.”

“It’s not just like that, Peter. I loved Ben very much. I still love him. But... it’s been years. We both found life after his death and, yes, we moved on, but it was years. After the…” she stopped.

“Tragedy happens, and sometimes it makes you realize that time is a fickle thing that is unpredictable, so you make the most of the time you’ve got.”

“How uhm, how did you two meet?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Why do you keep saying that? I thought you were gonna explain everything to me.”

“Things are complicated, honey. A lot has happened.”

Like a shot of epinephrine surging through his body, a twinge at the back of his neck, Peter surprised himself as he announced, “Someone’s at the door.”

May shared another indiscernible glance. “We weren’t expecting anyone.” 

The knocks returned louder, with a demanding urgency. “May! It’s me! Open up!”

“Oh no.” She looked to Happy, a pleading look of ‘what do I do?’ 

“Peter, can you go to your room?” Happy said.

“Who is that?” Peter asked, staring at the door.

“May, I will literally blast this door down if you don’t open in the next thirty seconds. This is  _ urgent. _ ”

“Please, honey. Just give us a minute,” May pleaded.

“You shouldn’t open that. They sound mad,” Peter said wearily.

“Just go to your room!” May snapped.

Peter retracted back, scampering to his room.

He sat against his door, taking out his earbuds to eavesdrop.

“Tony, what are you doing here?” May asked exasperated.

“I know we haven’t talked in a while…”

“You mean since he disappeared.”

“Yes. I know. And I’m sorry. But my scanners finally picked him up! Surveillance footage from the subway caught him and I had to come here in person to tell you because you deserve more than a phone call, and I know that it’s been tense ever since we, you know, and I just, but I never stopped looking for him, and he’s back. He’s here somewhere in New York and he’s alive and he’s…”

“He’s here, Tony,” May finally interrupted.

There was a pause. “What?”

“Ned was at the station. He brought him here.”

“He’s… he’s  _ here? _ ”

“I don’t think he’s ready to see you.”

“What do you mean? Is he mad at me? That I didn’t...”

“It’s nothing like that.”

“Then why can’t I see him?”

“He has amnesia,” Happy cut in.

“He has… he… what?” The other voice — Tony — asked.

“He thinks he’s thirteen. He doesn’t remember…” There’s silence. Peter guessed she was mouthing the words or making a gesture. 

“Oh. So he doesn’t remember me,” Tony said.

“No. He doesn’t. So, I really don’t think it’d be best for him to see you in the state he’s in,"  May said with her firm “I’m talking so you aren’t” voice.

“But maybe seeing me will spark some of his memories.”

“Or it could overwhelm him and confuse him more.”

“So you’re, what? Gonna hide one of the biggest parts of his adolescent life from him?”

“We’re gonna ease him into it.”

“You can’t just hide that! That’s a quarter of his life. Not to mention, I’m part of his life.”

“Tony…”

“And what about the Blip? Or the Snap? He probably thinks he’s twenty three right now.”

“ _ Technically _ he is.”

“Technically, he’s not, and you know that.”

“He’s grieving right now, Tony. He just found out that Ben—” She stopped. “He needs time. I don’t think it’d be best for him to get such an info dump.”

“What about when he rediscovers his—” He cut out. Another gesture.

“We’ll tell him soon.”

“It’s a little hard to miss. How are his sense?”

“He has his glasses and earbuds in.”

“And what did you tell him?”

“That they were for migraines.”

“He’s gonna figure out sooner or later that it’s not just a migraine.”

“Tony, why are you here?”

“You know why. He may not be my kid by blood, but he is and will always be my kid in the way it matters. You don’t know what it was like grieving during the Snap. You were snapped too. When he came back… when everyone came back, I didn’t know what I would do if I lost them again, and we lost him again. But he’s back, and I can’t stand to know that he’s back and he’s out of my life forever.”

“It’s not gonna be forever.”

“It could be! He needs to come to the Compound and be checked out by doctors. Ones that are familiar with the amenities he needs. Have you considered that there’s internal injuries? Or external ones he hasn’t even told you about? Not to mention brain damage that could be causing this amnesia.”

“How are we going to explain that to him? Taking him to the,” there’s a pause, “Compound?”

“He doesn’t need coddling right now. He needs support.”

“Oh, and you’re the best person for that?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’ve been a wreck. I know it. We all know it. You’re gonna breakdown the second you lay eyes on Peter.”

“Well how the hell am I supposed to just act like everything is fine? How are you?”

“Because I know the last thing Peter needs is me pushing him.”

Pause. “I’m not going to push him.”

“That’s what you do, Tony. You are always so desperate for answers. It eats you alive when you don’t have them.”

“Well, I’m not going to push Peter for them.”

There’s a long pause. “Fine. We’re going to the Compound. But what are you going to tell him?”

“What do you mean?”

“What is the backstory? The explanation of why he knows you?”

“Internship. Not a lie.”

“Not the truth, either.”

“Which is why it’s perfect.”

“He’s not gonna be the same Peter you remember, Tony.”

“Any Peter is better than none.”

“...Fine. Okay? Fine.”

There was a knock on the door that Peter leaned against.

“Peter?” May called. “There’s someone here to see you.”

Peter popped his earbud back in his ear, the sound dimming to something manageable once again. As he went to open the door, the handle popped off, crushing in his palm like aluminum foil.

“What?” He tried to push the door, the door completely splintering off its hinges and falling to the ground. Before he could even process what he had just done, his eyes met the voice he had just been listening intently to.

“You’re… you… you’re Tony Stark!” 

The man smiled a sad smile, disappointment evident in his eyes. “Hi, Peter.”

“How do  _ I  _ know  _ Tony Stark?”  _ He turned to look behind him. “And how did I just do that?” He looked down at his hand, the door knob stuck to his hand. “And why is this stuck to my hand?”

Tony gave a look of ‘I told you so’ to May. “Just relax. It’ll stop sticking if you just let your mind wander.”

“Kinda hard to let my mind wander when I’m talking to you, Mr. Stark.”

Tony felt a warm rush. “It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that. Just talk to me. About anything.”

“I really can’t think of words right now, sir.”

“Then I’ll just talk. This morning, it took me three tries to make a good omelette. I burnt the first two, but my third one was quite the hit.”

“What kind of omelette was it?” Peter asked, still staring at the door knob.

“It was a garden omelette. Had zucchini and squash and tomatoes and greens and cheese. All the good stuff. Pepper, my wife, made hers significantly faster than I did, and one for my daughter, Morgan, too.”

“You have a daughter now?” 

He nodded. “Indeed, I do. You two were really close. She’s six now and has a crazy obsession with ham. That’s why we were making omelettes in the first place. She considers it the perfect vessel for ham. She likes extra cheese in her omelettes, but even more extra ham. It is so stuffed by the time we fold it, it’s basically overflowing.”

Peter laughed. “I like my omelettes like that too.”

“Yeah, I know.”

There was a clank. Peter looked down. “Oh! It unstuck.”

“Great!” Tony said with a clap. It was only then that Peter noticed his prosthetic arm. Before he could inquire about it, Tony continued. “I was hoping you could come with me to my medical facility. We just want to make sure there’s nothing wrong physically and catch it early if there is.”

“Uh, okay.” Peter suddenly felt embarrassed to be in front of his hero in Hello Kitty pajama pants. “May I change before we go?”

“Go right ahead, kid.” 

He stared at the broken door on the ground, stepping over its shattered remains. He grabbed a pair of jeans and announced awkwardly, “I’m going to go change in the bathroom since…” He motioned to the door, or lack thereof.

“Alright, sweetie.”

When he went back to the bathroom, he opened the door with a dainty, gentle touch, in fear that he would rip off another handle. 

As he shimmied on his jeans, he looked in the mirror. Really looked. He didn’t look twenty-three, though he did tend to have a baby face. Even so, he never imagined that this was what he would look like at twenty-three. Though extremely muscular, he was also skeletal and gaunt. His hair was long, past his shoulders, tickling his skin in a way he wasn’t used to. He had no facial hair which was a bummer. He had hoped he would at least get some when he passed eighteen. 

He grabbed his book and wrote in another question.

_ What am/was I like? _

He pushed the door open gently, now three eyes staring at him.

“You ready to go?” Tony asked, trying to act as casual as possible.

“Yup.”

.-~*~-.

Apparently the place they were going was the  _ Avengers Compound _ which was blowing Peter’s mind to say the least. 

They put him in a big machine that looked like it was from the future (which he supposed it technically was) that scanned his brain for abnormalities as well as his body for injuries. 

Tony looked to him with a distant concern, eyes glassy and jaw clenched. He frowned as the doctor explained medical jargon to him that apparently applied to Peter.

“Low bone marrow” and “deep lacerations down the spine” and “dangerously low blood count” and “severely malnutritious and anemic” and “selective retrograde amnesia.” 

“That doesn’t sound good,” Peter stated.

“It isn’t,” Tony said softly. “That’s not good at all.”

“Can they fix me?” Peter asked.

“We hope so.”

“That’s good.”

“Yeah. It is.”

Peter swung his legs back and forth. “Are you okay, sir?”

“What?” Tony asked, taken aback.

“You just seem very tense.”

Tony tried to relax. “Is it bothering you?”

“No! I just, I want to make sure you’re okay,” Peter said, a soft glint in his eyes.

“I’m okay. It’s just been a while since I’ve seen you.”

“Were we close?” Peter looked up to Tony with wide eyed wonder.

Tony cleared his throat. “Y-yeah. We were. We were really close. You were my personal intern, so we spent a lot of time together.”

“That’s cool,” Peter said, going back to look at his swinging feet.

“Are, uh, are _ you _ okay?” Tony asked.

“Uh huh. I’m good.”

Tony frowned. “Are you sure? You can tell me if you aren’t, you know.”

“Just a little starstruck, sir,” Peter responded bashfully.

“Do you want to hear about how we first met?” Tony asked.

“Well, I know how we first met, Mr. Stark.”

Tony’s back straightened. “You do?”

“It was at the 2010 Stark Expo.”

Tony staggered back. “We… what?”

“You saved me from a drone. You said “nice work, kid” and flew away after shooting a drone that was gonna shoot me.”

“I… I did?”

Peter looked to him in confusion. “Had I never told you that?” 

Tony shook his head. “No. You didn’t.”

“Oh.” He bit at the inside of his mouth. “Then uh, how did you think we met?”

Tony looked up again. “Oh! Well, I was interested in something you had synthesized, so I came to your apartment, ate your aunt’s horrible walnut date loaf, and recruited you.”

“Recruited me?” Peter parroted.

“Uh, for an internship.”

“Right,” Peter responded. “Did I like get you coffee or something?”

“Or something,” Tony replied, a grin on his face.

“So we’ve known each other for a while, huh? Almost ten years.”

Tony tensed, but nodded. “Yeah. Almost ten years.”

“I bet I’ve got a lot to catch up on,” Peter thought out loud. “Like what’s music like? And what’re the memes like?” He gasped. “And how many  _ Star Wars  _ movies have come out?”

“Since 2014? Five movies, three animated series, and two spin-off live action shows on Disney Plus.”

“Disney Plus?” Peter asked.

“It’s like Netflix but just for Disney.”

“That’s stupid,” Peter retorted.

“Yeah. But Disney’s monopoly on the film industries continued to surge after Disney bought the Hallmark Channel and Hulu.”

“Wow. Do they own a lot?”

Tony nodded. “Yup. They own 21st Century Fox, ESPN, Marvel…” 

“What’s Marvel?”

“Oh, that’s the channel that specializes in everything superhero. They made a documentary about me on it, the Captain America documentaries are on it, and they have live stream hero news on it.”

“So the Avengers are still together?” Peter asked.

“After…” He stopped. “We broke up for a while, but got back together when the world needed us. It’s not gonna be the way it used to be, but we work together.”

“Are you still…”

“Not unless I’m really needed,” Tony finished. “I’m sure you noticed I don’t have a right arm. Well, before I lost it, I was retired for five years, and then we had a big battle and I lost the arm and realized that there’s so much more I wanted to do with my life, so I stepped down from the mantle.”

“Woah,” Peter said breathlessly. “Who is in charge of the Avengers now?”

“Well, there’s someone in training to take over the Young Avengers, but it’s mostly just SHIELD overseeing the vigilantes and heroes.”

Peter nodded again. “Cool.” He clenched his hand in and out of a fist. “Am I an Avenger?”

Tony froze. “What?”

“I ripped a door off of its hinges. And I can hear your heartbeat from here, let alone the conversation going on down the hall.  _ And _ I can see every individual pore on your face. At first I thought they were contacts, and I was freaking out a little because I don’t know how to take out contacts, but it doesn’t  _ feel  _ like there’s anything in my eyes, and if I  _ was  _ gone for eight months, then my contacts must be dried out or bad or something, or at least my eyes should be super dry or damaged. And I know that I could barely see past my hand before, so something must have happened if I can see this well now.”

Tony sighed. “It’s complicated.”

“You sound like May.”

“I’m sorry, kid. It just is.”

“Am I an Avenger?” Peter repeated.

Tony pursed his lips. “You were.”

Peter’s eyes went wide. “Wait, really? I was just making assumptions. I didn’t actually think I…”

“That’s why I recruited you. You didn’t start as my intern. You started as a vigilante.”

“Woah,” Peter said, awestruck. “When was that?”

“Well, around the time that your uncle passed away.”

“But that happened…” The cogs in Peter’s mind churned. “I was thirteen?”

“Yeah.”

“So, I must’ve lost my memories from right before then.”

“Mhm,” Tony said with a tight lipped smile. “Wait. When is your Oscorp field trip?”

“Do you mean like when do I think it’s supposed to be? Because it has already happened.” He scrunched his nose. “That’s still so weird.”

“Yes, like from when you remember, when is it?”

“It’s…” he stopped. “Well actually, it would be today.”

Tony sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh.”

“Why?” Peter asked.

“That’s when you got your powers,” Tony said, his throat tight.

“Oh. That’s… oh.” He drummed his fingers on his thigh. “So uh, what exactly  _ are _ my powers?”

“Well, you’re sticky.”

“Sticky?” Peter repeated.

“Like when the doorknob stuck to your hand. You can stick to walls and climb them.”

“Woah.”

“And you’re really strong.”

“How strong?” Peter pushed curiously.

“You can easily lift ten tons.”

“ _ Tons? _ ”

“Yup,” Tony said, a warm blur in his chest as he saw Peter’s face light up.

“You have a sixth sense that detects danger too.”

“Like that feeling I got on the train tracks! I just knew to run out of the way!”

“Your metabolism moves really fast, so you heal fast and eat a lot. Speaking of which, how about we grab something to eat. You look hungry.”

“That would… that would be awesome,” Peter said, the largest smile he could manage on his face.

“How do burgers sound?”

.-~*~-.

The moment Peter stepped foot into the small diner, the dazzling scent of greasy fries and fresh baked pie overwhelming his senses, he got another flash.

_ Milkshake through his nose. Aching ribs. Gasping for air. Fuzzy chest. _

“I must’ve been laughing really hard,” Peter said.

“What do you mean?” Tony responded, bewildered.

“I remember this place. I don’t know why, but I remember the feeling. It’s the same feeling when Ben and May and I would play board games. The feeling of laughing so hard that you can’t do anything but laugh.”

“We would come here after big accomplishments. Breakthroughs in our projects, awards and wins, big fights. We only came when good things happened, so I’m sure you have a lot of good memories here.” He squeezed his shoulder. “Let’s go to our booth.”

Peter’s mouth watered as he scanned the menu. “Man, the Smokehouse Burger sounds amazing. Onion rings, bacon,  _ and _ barbecue sauce? That and an Oreo shake? That would be awesome.” He frowned. “But I don’t have my Lactaid with me.”

“You don’t have a lactose intolerance anymore,” Tony said.

“I don’t?” He grinned. “Then I’m getting that Oreo milkshake!”

Tony smiled softly at Peter. “That’s what you’d always order.”

“Guess my tastes haven’t changed,” Peter responded, not noticing his gaze.

“Yeah. Guess they haven’t.”

The waitress came over, a plump, older woman, with bright red lipstick. “Howdy boys. How may I help you today?”

“One Smokehouse Burger with waffle fries and an Oreo shake for him, and a Veggie Burger with sweet potato fries and an iced tea for me please.”

She nodded. “Sure can do.”

“She’s been our waitress before,” Peter said.

“Probably,” Tony said with a shrug, before his words sunk in. “Wait. You remembered that too!”

“I think I did.” Peter fiddled with the salt shaker. “So tell me more about me.”

“Well, in high school you were in the academic decathlon team. You dropped band and robotics once you got your,” he motioned with his hands. “You were on the road to being valedictorian, but in April you disappeared. You had planned to go to Columbia or NYU to double major in biomedical engineering and chemical engineering. You actually got full rides to both, so it was a tough decision.”

“ _ Technically, _ I got full rides to MIT too, but that was because you made me apply there.” His eyes widened. “Oh, wow.”

Tony grinned. “Your other side did a lot. He mostly stayed on the ground, helping the little guys. You helped old ladies with their groceries and stopped bike thefts. But you also had your big bads. There was Adrian Toomes who was selling alien technology that you stopped. Then there was Thanos which is a long story that we shouldn’t go into now. And most recently, there was Mysterio, an old employee of mine that went for revenge when I was in my coma. You brought him down in London and I luckily woke up soon enough to uncover his fake death and stop him from revealing your identity to the world.”

“Oh wow. A lot has happened,” Peter said.

“Yeah. It has.” He leaned against the cushy bright teal cushion. “And lots more has happened, but frankly, that’s all the big stuff that I can think of.”

“It’s some pretty big stuff,” Peter said as he bobbed his head.

Tony chuckled. “Yeah, I suppose it is.” 

Their waitress returned, setting their food on the table with a light clink. “Enjoy.”

_ Sore cheeks. Warm, fluttering heart. Happiness. Pride. Joy. Elation.  _

“I’m getting a lot of good feelings from this place,” Peter said.

“That’s good.”

Peter hesitantly picked up his burger and took a big bite.

_“C’mon Mr. Stark. You’re telling me that you really haven’t considered adjusting the photopolymerization to account for the N-Vinylpyrrolidones?”_ _  
__“We can’t all be chemistry nerds.”_

_ “I can’t believe that was all it took to minimize the corrosion.” _

_ “I’m proud of you kid.” _

_ “I think you’ve got a little something on your mouth.” _

_ “Barbeque sauce?” _

_ “No, blood.” _

_ “Oh shit.” _

_ “And I think I’m really leaning towards NYU. It just calls to me.” _

_ “And you’re  _ sure _ MIT doesn’t call you at all? Even a little?” _

_ “It’s a cool school, but it’s too far! I can’t protect Queens when I’m hours away. I have a commitment to my city.” _

_ “Yeah, I know. But you could have a commitment to your city on breaks and summers?” _

_ “Mr. Stark!” _ __   
  


_ “How does it feel being an official bobcat?”  _

_ “Feels purr-rety great!” _

_ “And you say  _ my  _ jokes are bad.” _

“-eter? Are you okay?”

Peter looked up, holding a fist to his temple. “Uh, yeah. I’m good. I think I’m just, uh I’m…”

“You’re remembering, aren’t you?” Tony asked softly.

Peter weakly nodded. “Yeah. I am.”

“Is it… do you remember…”

“I’m sorry. It’s not much. Just moments. Feelings.”

“Oh.”

Suddenly the world was moving in slow motion, Peter’s heart racing as he shouted, “Everyone get down!”

_ CRASH.  _ A body was flung through the window, shattering the glass, and landing with a harsh thump against the speckled tile.

The small diner was in sudden hysterics, screams of panic bouncing off the cream colored walls. 

“I’ll take care of this, okay?” Tony said. When Peter didn’t respond, he repeated, firmer, “ _ Okay? _ ”

Peter nodded weakly and cowered under the table.

His body trembled as he heard the eerily familiar sound of crinkling bones and maniacal laughter.

“What the hell?” Tony muttered.

“There’s no use in hiding, my Itsy Bitsy Spider. I know you’re in there!” The voice called out.

Peter’s body went rigid.  _ No.  _

There were three blasts, but no cries in pain.

“There’s no use in trying to hit me, Mr. Tin Can Man. I can sense every strike you try to make,” she taunts.

“Who are you? What do you want?”

“Oh, I like a man who knows what he wants. Has anyone told you that you’re sexy when you’re in charge?”

“Who. Are. You?  _ What. Do. You. Want? _ ”

“Well that’s no fun. Guessing games always make  _ me _ smile. How about giving me a smile, Iron Man? Show me those pearly whites.”

“I’m not gonna ask again,” Tony said, edge to his tone.

“Take your time, Starkey. Maybe your little boy toy can help you. That is, if he can remember.” She winked. “I’ll be seeing you soon.” With a press of a button on her wrist, she disappeared.

Tony rushed into the diner, kneeling to Peter who was curled into a tight ball, shaking violently. His eyes were wide as he kept his gaze focused on the floor.

“Hey, Pete. I’m here. It’s okay.”

Peter didn’t respond.

“Let’s get you back to the Compound, okay?”

Peter didn’t respond.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

It was a grueling silence in the car ride back. Peter stared blankly out the window, hitting his wrists together in a repetitive loop.

Tony tried to make him stop, but when he neared Peter slightly, the teen would flinch and tremble even more, so he retracted and watched with distant sorrow.

When they entered the Compound, Tony was greeted by an outraged May Parker.

“Where the hell did you go? You can’t just leave and not tell me. I am his  _ guardian _ , Tony.”

Tony opened his mouth to apologize, but she continued.

“I don’t give a flying  _ fuck _ that he’s an adult or that you had best intentions because, like  _ you were the one to say _ , he has been missing and is possibly  _ injured _ , and  _ obviously _ discombobulated in his new environment and you decide to just take him out? I mean, what the _ hell _ were you thinking?”

“May. Something happened.”

She froze, looking to Peter who continued to look at the floor with dull eyes and tap his wrists together. “What happened?”

“And attack on the diner. She knew who he was. And they know that he’s…”

She gasped. “Oh God. Do you think that she was the one who…”

“It’s possible. It’s completely possible.”

“And did you…”

“She disappeared.”

“What do you mean  _ disappeared? _ ”

“Teleportation, maybe? Hologram?”

“You’re fucking with me, right?” 

“Of course I’m not fucking with you! I don’t know what happened,” Tony said exasperatedly.

“I’m sorry. I know you didn’t plan for that.”

“Of course I didn’t plan for that!” Tony exclaimed. “How would I have planned for that?” 

“Take the apology, Stark, and don’t be an ass,” May said dryly.

“Right.”

“And Peter?” May questioned, quieter.

“Completely catatonic since we left,” he replied.

“Do you know why?” she asked.

“I’m thinking that woman was some sort of trigger.”

“What did she trigger?”

He paused. “I don’t know. But it can’t be anything good.”

.-~*~-.

Peter’s silence was broken at the two hour mark when he started to mumble incoherent phrases. Or, at least, it seemed incoherent.

“No more. No more people. They’re gonna find me. No more blood. No more. I can’t keep killing. They’re gonna find me. No more.”

Tony wrote down every phrase until the pattern closed and repeated.

“What does this mean, kid? What do you mean?”

“How’s he doing?” Pepper asked softly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Not good. If anything, I have only more questions.”

“Take a break. Give him a little space. Maybe a fresh set of eyes will help you.”

“I can’t just leave him,” Tony said.

“May wants some alone time with him,” Pepper said. “She didn’t want to say it, but she does. Give it to her.”

Tony hesitated. “Okay. Fine.”

However, Tony did not get a lovely stroll. Instead he was led with a trail of hints and threats throughout the woods outside of the Compound.

For an hour, he wandered around the forest to record all of the hidden clues like a wild goose chase, until he knew he had exhausted every corner, nook, and cranny.

When he returned to the Compound, Peter had continued to remain in his unstable state, his wrists bruising from the constant impact and his eyes darting back and forth as he muttered his cycle over and over again.

May and Happy got up as they heard Tony enter.

“Where have you been?” May asked.

“I think whoever did this is trying to leave me a trail,” Tony said, mind blank and heart empty.

“What?” Happy questioned.

“I have to decipher the code. I’ll be back.”

“Tony, wait!” But he was gone, floating to his lab.

Each message was different. Some were photos, some were riddles, some were just cryptic combinations of words. Some weren’t even in English. 

_ “Väggklockan hänger på väggen”  _ just translated to “the wall clock is hanging on the wall” and  _ “ögonaböj” just meant “immediately.” _

He ran them through countless decoders and decipherers and always gave up in frustration when he finally started to notice a pattern. Each phrase or word had repeated letters. 

He sorted the words in phrases by the alphabetical mode and then ran the letters through an anagram program, spelling out the phrase:

_ “The överlägsen spindel will prevail.” _

A quick Google Translate search told him that it meant the “Superior Spider” will prevail, which sent a sharp chill down his spine as dread pooled in his gut. He needed to see Peter.

He felt revolted as he entered, eyes glued to Peter cuffed down to the bed, squirming and thrashing, shouting his phrases.

“No more! Not again! Not anymore! No more blood! No more people! No more!”

His eyes locked with Tony’s and he softened. He smiled a genuine smile that warmed Tony’s heart. But, as he began to speak in a beguiling sweetness, Tony’s world crashed and burned around him. “I am the underlägsen spindel. I will crumble into oblivion while the överlägsen spindel prevails. There will be no more underlägsen spindel when the överlägsen spindel prevails.” 

Tony’s heart dropped. 

Peter, as if he had not said anything, continued to twitch and turn, back to his mumbles.

“What does… what does that mean?” May asked, horrified.

“I don’t know,” Tony said hollowly.

.-~*~-.

It took a grueling hour before Peter tired himself out and drifted into dreamland. It gave Tony a sense of relief to see the steady up and down of Peter’s breath and his peaceful serenity as he slept.

However, that silence was soon broken by a blood curdling scream, Peter nearly snapping his wrists from how he jolted awake.

“What’s wrong? I’m here. It’s okay,” Tony stammered out, trying to give him as many reassuring words as he could.

“Tony?” Peter asked, discombobulated.

Tony’s heart warmed. “Yeah, bud. It’s me. Tony.”

“Tony, where a… where am I? What am I doing here?”

“You’re in the medbay,” Tony explained slowly.

“I’m in the… well, yeah.” He looked around. “Now I see that.” His face dropped as recognition flooded to his brain. “Oh. So, uh, that happened.”

“Yeah. That happened,” Tony repeated.

“I didn’t hurt anyone, did I?” Peter asked softly.

“No, you didn’t. Why would you think that?”

Peter shook his head, forcing a smile. “No reason. I… no reason.” He straightened his posture, giving a bounce to his demeanor. “I am starving. Probably because I was being starved for eight months. Y’think I could get some breakfast?”

Tony frowned. “Not funny.”

“A  _ little  _ funny.”

“Not funny.” He stood. “I can go get you some breakfast. In the meantime, I’ll go get May and Happy.” He paused. “And we’ll talk about your memories when I get back.”

“I would give you a thumbs up, but well,” he nodded his head to his wrists.

Tony pursed his lips. “Right.”

May, Happy, and Peter shared a teary reunion. Peter, back to his joking, bubbly, smiling self, the two couldn’t help but thank the Gods above for bringing their baby back.

When Tony returned with three breakfast sandwiches, the three were sharing a loud laugh.

“What’d I miss?” Tony asked.

“We were just talking about the door I ripped off its hinges earlier,” Peter said.

“Oh. Yeah,” Tony said, a weary smile on his lips.

“That looks so yummy. Thank you so much for getting it,” Peter said. “Would you mind…” 

“Right. Right.” He disengaged the cuffs holding him down. 

Peter rolled his wrists which were still bruised. “What is in this? It looks so good.”

“Uh, egg, bacon, sausage, and cheese,” Tony said.

Peter closed his eyes in satisfaction as he took a bite. “Holy… this is amazing. Thanks, Tony.”

There was an enervating silence as he munched on his breakfast, humming softly as he ate. When he finished, he looked up with wide eyes. “What?”

“Pete, we… we can’t just ignore everything that happened.”

His smile faltered. “I… I know that.”

“Do you remember? Everything?”

Peter gave a slow, shaky nod. “I do.”

“What happened?” Tony asked.

Peter rubbed his thumb on the back of his hand. “I was on patrol. It was my usual patrol, and it was actually a pretty quiet night. There was a girl behind a bar with a guy who was getting too touchy feely, and you know how I feel about that, so I went to stop that guy, and my Spidey Sense was going absolutely bonkers, but I figured it was him, or the situation. I took him down, webbed him up, but when I went to comfort the woman, she injected me with this needle and I was out like a light.

“I woke up in what looked like one of those hospitals in a horror film. It was old and worn down and it didn’t have any windows, so I think it was underground. I was hooked up to a big machine, and they kept taking blood. I felt really weak. I think they big buckets of just my blood, and since I regenerate so quickly, they just kept taking it and taking it.

“They also stuck needles in my back. They must’ve been taking bone marrow, because it hurt like hell. Everything hurt like hell.

“They didn’t tell me much. They didn’t berate me with questions, so I knew that this kidnapping had nothing to do with ransom or information. I would get bits of pieces though.

“They said they were creating the Superior Spider. They were trying to create a super serum with my blood, but the radioactivity in it was too unstable. Every person they transfused my blood with, they…” he stopped.

“It’s okay. You’re okay,” Tony said softly.

“They died a long, painful death. And it’s all… it’s my fault.”

“No. No, it’s not,” May said firmly.

“It’s my blood! How can I… I can’t… that was my blood, and that’s what killed them. I’m just… I’m a killer. It’s literally in my blood.”

“That’s not true,” Tony said. “It’s your blood for a reason. It’s yours. Not theirs.”

“Yeah. So I, uh, anyways, I just. Uh, the tests didn’t work because they would make people’s skin burn off and their organs shut down and stuff, but I guess they created the Superior Spider because the next thing I know, they took what felt like all my blood and bone marrow and it was black again. And then I woke up on the train tracks.”

“Peter. You’ve been gone for eight months and that’s…”

“That’s really all that happened. I wasn’t really awake for most of it. I was too malnourished and weak to really remember anything. And they never moved me. I was hooked up to a bunch of machines so I just… yeah.”

The room was silent.

“C’mon, guys. Say something.”

“Peter, I… what are we supposed to say? That’s… what happened to you… it’s…” Tony stuttered.

“We just can’t believe you had to endure that,” Happy said.

“Well, I’m here now, right?” Peter gave jazz hands.

“That doesn’t mean what happened wasn’t traumatic and horrible,” May said. “You’re allowed to feel, sweetie.”

“I don’t really know what to feel,” Peter admitted.

“That’s okay. That’s… we understand,” Tony said.

“Am I going to be okay?” Peter asked quietly.

“We’re gonna make sure you do. Okay?” Tony placed a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Your body needs time to rebuild itself. They stripped it of a lot of what makes it work, so you just… you need time to rest. We’ll handle everything else, alright?”

Peter nodded. “Alright.”

“Do you want to go up to your room? Get changed?”

Peter nodded again. “That would be really nice.”

“Let’s go.”

The two leisurely walked through the Compound, Peter with his hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans and Tony taking not so subtle glances at the teen. Maybe if he wasn’t so distracted, he’d have noticed the woman behind him.

“Tony, look out!” But he was knocked back, a sickening crack as he collided with the wall.

Peter retracted back in fear. “Who… who are you?” 

The woman was decaying, a disgusting black char to her skin that was melting and peeling. Her eyes nearly fell out of her sockets and her jaw looked barely connected to its hinge. She walked with a stutter in her step, a heavy limp.

“Hello Itsy Bitsy Spider,” she said with a menacing grin. 

Peter held back a gag. This woman had been a normal looking human just days before. She was now almost completely unrecognizable. 

“I missed you so much. I missed you so much in fact that I just needed another dose of you in my veins. Just needed to feel you again.”

Peter scrunched his nose. “Gross.”

“I know my looks may be deceiving, but I’m feeling as powerful as ever. So powerful, in fact, that I just need more of you. So you’re gonna have to come with me.”

“I’m not going with you,” Peter stated.

“Oh, yes you will. You don’t get a choice. You see, we’re going to rule the world, but we need you to do that. There cannot just be one överlägsen spindel, and to achieve the överlägsen world, we need the underlägsen spindel to grace us with his blood so that we may be reborn.”

Peter paused. “Uhm, no thanks. How about instead…” he shot a web at her feet but she disappeared. There was a tap on his shoulder from behind, and she grinned maniacally, almost nose to nose with him. 

“Let’s not put up a fight,” she said.

“Oh, I’m gonna fight.” He threw a punch, throwing her off balance. He grimaced as her disgusting skin met his bare hand.

She gripped his neck in her hands with her super strength. “You cannot stop the spread. You cannot stop our rebirth. You are the key to the new world.”

Tony’s blasts from his one repulsor were futile to her own Spidey Sense. 

Peter sent the strongest kick he could manage into her stomach, scuttering away as he coughed.

“Give in. You know your purpose. You know you have no meaning. You are merely the underlägsen spindel. You will crumble into oblivion while the överlägsen spindel prevails. There will be no more underlägsen spindel when the överlägsen spindel prevails.”

Peter clenched his fist. “I am not the inferior spider.  _ I  _ am the superior spider, and  _ I  _ will prevail.” 

She laughed. “How pitiful for you to think that your life is worth saving.” She grabbed his arm, taking her finger, and slicing into his forearm. Peter screamed in agony. She then dug her thumb into her skin, dripping his blood into hers, but her body began to seize as she let out a piercing scream. She crumbled to the ground, head rolling violently, until she finally went limp.

“Well that was… horrific,” Tony stated. “What did you… what just happened?”

“My blood was killing her, and by giving her more, it pushed her over the edge,” Peter said, in shock.

“And she didn’t know that would happen?” Tony asked.

“I guess not.” Peter eye’s welled with silent tears. “I killed another person. My blood killed another person.”

Tony pulled him into a tight hug, ignoring the blood that seeped into his shirt and the pain shooting through his bones. “It’s okay. It’s gonna be okay.”

Tony pet Peter’s hair softly as he sobbed into his shirt until he finally lost his energy.

“Hey, Tony?” Peter murmured against Tony’s chest.

“Yeah, Pete?”

“I could use a cheeseburger.”

Tony grinned against Peter’s curls. “Let’s go grab one.”

With Tony in a myriad of casts and Peter’s arm wrapped in bloody gauze, they dined on their Smokehouse burgers while Tony recounted all the terrible Netflix originals that had come out in the eight months Peter was gone, and tried to put their minds off of their days even just for a moment. 

_Milkshake through his nose. Aching ribs. Gasping for air. Fuzzy chest._

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to chat, my Tumblr is [official-impravidus](official-impravidus.tumblr.com)


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